Safety latch



ug. 17, 1948. c. A. ERICKSON' SAFETY LATCH Filed June 16, 1945gwue/wfo'v CLAYTON A. ERICKSQN.

Patented Aug. 17, 1948 SAFETY LATOH Clayton A. Erickson, United StatesNavy Application June 16, 1945, Serial No. 599,946

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in latches, and morespecifically to a latch associated with a depth bomb rack which canreadily be released when desired, but which will not jar loose due tothe motion of the ship.

The customary depth charge rack consists of a frame made up of angleirons bolted to the deck, the frame being located close to a depthcharge projector, such as a Y-gun or a K-gun. The rack has incorporatedtherein a substantially horizontal track arranged so that it is at rightangles to the projector tray. On the track there is disposed a caradapted to support a depth charge, the car being movable from a readyposition at the end of the track remote from the projector to theloading end of the track adjacent to the projector, Where when the carcomes to rest against a stop at that end of the track the depth chargeautomatically rolls from the car into the tray of the projector. It isthe practice to have a depth charge loaded in the tray of the projectorready for projection and a succeeding charge in the car at a readyposition. The car is releasably anchored to the rack at the readyposition so that the motion of the ship will not cause it to run alongthe track to the loading position and hence interfere with the chargealready in the projector tray. When the charge in the tray has beenprojected, the operator releases the car manually timing the releasewith the motion of the ship so that the car runs along the track tobring the new charge into loading position opposite the projectorwhereupon it automatically rolls into the tray.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved means foranchoring the car with the depth charge thereon at the ready end of thetrack, which may quickly be released when desired by manual operationbut which will not be caused to release the car by the motion of theship and which will be simple in construction.

With the aforesaid objects in View, the invention resides in thecombination with a depth charge projector and rack having a track onwhich there is a car movable lengthwise thereof to transport a depthcharge from a ready position to a 1oading position adjacent to theprojector, a bar slidably mounted on the rack at the ready end of thetrack, means pivotally flXEd to the car, said means being adapted toengage the bar, thereby to anchor the car at the ready end of the track,means pivoted to the rack in a position to engage the first-named meansto hold it in engagement with the bar, means associated with thefirst-named means adapted to hold the (Granted under the act of March 3,1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) second-named means inengagement with the first-named means, means attached to the thirdnamedmeans and the bar, whereupon movement of the bar to disengage it fromthe first-named means will disassociate the third-named means and thefirst-named means. As illustrated herein, more specifically the meansfor anchoring the car to the slidable bar is a hook pivotally fixed tothe car, the hook being adapted to catch over the upper edge of the bar,the latter being disposed on edge and slidable in a substantiallyhorizontal plane so that movement of the hook in a direction normal tothe bar is prevented, except when the hook is released by longitudinalmovement of the bar to such an extent as to disengage the bar from thehook. A hasp pivoted on the rack above the bar normally straddles thehook engaging the top thereof. The hasp prevents the hook from liftingup from the edge of the bar, due to the motion of the ship which in turncauses a certain amount of oscillation. of the car. To prevent the haspfrom swinging outwardly away from the hook, a cotter pin is insertedthrough an aperture in the hook to retain the lower end of the haspbetween it and the bar. The cotter pin is adapted to be removed duringthe manual operation of the bar to release the hook thereby to free thehasp by a cord fastened to the pin and bar.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of one end of a depth charge rack showingthe improved latching means; and

Fig. 2 is an elevational View longitudinally of the depth charge rack onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing an end view of the improved latch means.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the depth charge rack is showndiagrammatically with the improved latching means is mounted thereon,the rack consisting of a frame !2 made up of suitable structural memberssuch as angle irons supported from the deck by posts I i which arebolted to the deck. The frame l2 carries a pair of parallel horizontallydisposed tracks is on which there is mounted for movement upon wheels!8, a car 20 adapted to support a depth charge 22. The frame [2 is sosituated with respect to a depth charge projector, not shown herein,such as a K-gun or Y-gun that the tracks it are substantially at rightangles to the tray of the projector so that when the car 2c is oppositethe projector, the depth charge will automatically roll into the tray.It is customary to tate toward the bar 26.

the cotter pin, a cord 58.

have one depth charge resting in the tray and another in the car 20 at aready position, that is, at the end of a track which is remote from theprojector. The tracks l6 are horizontal and the movement of a car fromthe ready position to a loading position, that is, a position oppositethe projector, is taken care of by the motion of the ship, that is, whenthe ship pitches so that the tracks [6 slope toward the projector, thecar is released and allowed to run along the tracks toward the projectorwhere it is brought to a stop by a stop at the end of the tracks. Torestrain the car from movement when it is not desirable to have a depthcharge in. the projector tray or when there is a charge already in theprojector tray and it is desirable to retain this succeeding charge in aready position, there is provided latching means for anchoring the carat the ready end of the track.

The latching means indicated generally by the reference character Itconsists of a slidable bar 26 mounted for sliding movement in ahorizontal position on the end 2 3 of the rack in a pair of spacedstraps 28 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the end 24. Forconvenience in slidthe latter being fastened as heretofore pointed outto the bar 26 adjacent to the rod 30. It is obvious with thisarrangement, that when the bar 2G is moved longitudinally, the cord 58will move with it, and hence, withdraw the cotter pin from the end ofthe hook at to free the hook from the hasp.

In operation, assuming that a depth charge 22 is mounted on the car 20and it is desirable to move it to its loading position, the car beinganchored at the ready position, the operator grasps the rod 39] andgives it a jerk so as to disengage the bar 26 from the hook 36. Sincethe cord 58 is attached to the bar 26 and to the cotter pin 56, thismovement simultaneously withdraws the cotter pin from the end of thehook at. The disengaging of the bar 26 is timed. so that the motion ofthe ship will be such that the tracks it are tilted toward theprojector. As soon as the car and depth charge run into loading positionwith respect to the projector, the charge automatically rolls into theprojector tray and the car is returned by hand to the ready position fora succeeding charge. The bar 26 is returned to its operative position assoon as the rod ing the bar 25 longitudinally, there is fixed thereto atone end a rod 30. The bar is yieldably held in operative position by aspring 38 secured at one end to a flange 50 formed on one of the straps28 and at its other end to a flange 22 formed on a plate 62 fixed to thebar 26 adjacent to the end of the rod 30.

The anchoring means for securing the car 29 to the bar 26 consists of alink 32 pivoted at 3G to the car 20 in such a manner as to permit thelink to assume a horizontal attitude in its position of rest and topermit it to be moved freely in an upward direction when the hook 36, atits free end, is to be passed over and engaged with the edge of the bar26, as shown in Fig. 2. In order to hold the hook 365 in engagement withthe bar 26, in spite of the motion of the ship, which causes oscillationof the car on the track and which might result in the hook jumping overthe edge of the bar, it is desirable to provide means for engaging thetop of the hook to prevent it from swinging upwardly in a counterclockwise direction. To this end and in accordance with the invention, ahasp or keeper M is suspended on a pin 46 mounted between a pair of cars43 secured to or formed on the end 24 of the frame, the hasp beingarranged to gravi- The lower end of the hasp is bifurcated at so thatwhen the hook is in engagement with the bar, it will straddle the hook36 and the bottom 52 of the bifurcation will engage the top of the hook,thereby holding it down against the bar. The hasp Mi might swingoutwardly away from the hook due to the motion of the ship and toprevent this, there is inserted through an aperture 52 formed in thehook, a cotter pin 54, so that the hasp is retained between the cotterpin and the bar, as shown in Fig. 2.

In releasing the car to allow the car 26 and depth charge 22 to moveinto loading position, the operator pulls on the rod 30, thereby movingthe bar 26 longitudinally lengthwise thereof to disengage it from thehook 35. To free the bar so that it will slide readily and also to allowthe hook to be drawn through the bifurcation after the bar 26 iswithdrawn, the cotter pin 54 must be removed, hence, there is attachedto The cord 58 is also attached to a flange -60 formed on the plate 62,

is released by the spring 38, and since the hasp Ml is rec to swingoutwardly away from the bar, movement of the car to the ready positionwith hook 36 disposed horizontally at rest will result in automaticengagement of the hook with the bar. This takes place by reason of thefact that the lower end of the hook 36 is rounded off and when itstrikes the bar 26, will cam itself upwardly over the edge of the barand at the same time move the hasp M outwardly, that is, in acounterclockwise direction. When the end of the hook clears the edge ofthe bar, it will fall by gravity over the edge of the bar and the haspin turn will fall back by gravity over the top of l the hook. The onlymanual operations necessary are to insert the cotter pin 54 into theaperture 52 to retain the hasp in place between it and the bar 26 whenlocking the latching means and to withdraw the bar when releasing thecar.

The invention herein described and claimed may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government of the United States of America forgovernmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon ortherefor.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with latching means consisting of a hook and a baradapted by interengagement to anchor one part to another, a retainerholding the hook in engagement with the bar, a cotter pin insertedthrough an aperture in said hook for preventing disengagement of theretainer from the hook, and means attaching the cotter pin to the bar,whereby movement of the bar to disengage it from the hook willsimultaneously withdraw the cotter pin from the hook.

2. In combination with latching means con-- sisting of a hook and a bar,the hook being arranged to engage an edge of the bar and to resist apull normal to the bar, said bar being movable longitudinally thereof todisengage the hook, a keeper associated with the hook in a manner toengage the top of the hook when it is in latching position, thereby tohold the hook against the edge of the bar, a cotter pin insertablethrough an. aperture in the hook adjacent to the keeper to retain thekeeper between the pin and bar, and a flexible member attaching the pinto the bar, whereupon longitudinal movement of the bar to disengage itfrom the hook will simultaneously withdraw the pin from the Number hook,thereby releasing the keeper. 914,895 CLAYTON A. ERICKSON. 1,078,9641,277 ,754 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,353,652 The following references are ofrecord in the 1,504,992 file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS 2350493 Number Name Date 10 201,922 Hogan Apr. 12, 1878 6 Name DateSznutchko et a1 Mar. 9, 1909 Slattery Nov. 18, 1913 Reed Sept. 3, 1918Hampton Sept. 21, 1920 Stewart Aug. 12, 1924 Norton June 30, 1931Caulkins Aug. 11, 1942 Caulkins June 6, 1944

